In a vote that echoed the sentiments of union-affiliated graduate students at other UC campuses, the Association of Graduate Student Employees at UC Davis voted last week to authorize a strike later this fall. The association, affiliated with the United Auto Workers, wants the University of California to recognize the union and to agree to begin collective bargaining with teaching assistants, readers and tutors. If the union is not recognized, the association said it is prepared to support a systemwide strike. About 1,000 of UC Davis' 2,100 graduate-student employees belong to the association, according to Anna Muraco, a member of the association's organizing committee. Over half voted, she said, with 87 percent indicating they would support a strike. Associations representatives "will continue talking with the administration campus by campus and as a system," Muraco said. "It's a wait-and-see situation right now to see if we can possibly get recognition so we won't have to have a work stoppage." A strike date hasn't been chosen, she said, with systemwide coalition meetings planned throughout November to make such a decision. While research assistants were eligible to vote in last week's balloting, they will not be part of a work stoppage, Muraco said. The university maintains that a union is not necessary to work collaboratively with graduate student employees and that the university can respond to student issues without a labor contract. "I'm disappointed there is the possibility of an action that would be detrimental to undergraduate education," said Barry Klein, vice provost for academic personnel. "I hope that with further negotiations with our graduate students, we'll be able to come to accommodations that will not lead to a strike." Academic student employees at the seven other general UC campuses voted last spring to authorize a strike. If a work stoppage occurred at UC Davis, it would be the first time graduate students have participated in any form of strike activity on campus.